Decorative covers for water heater thermostats or the like



1964 -r. J. DYKZEUL ETAL 3,151,759

Theodore J. Dykzeul8 Henry C. Brqucksiek United States Patent 3,151,75? DEQURATEVE CGVEBS FGR WATER HEATER THERMOSTAT QR THE LEKE Theodore J. Bylrzenl, Rolling Hills, and Henry G.

Branclrsieh, Buena Park, Caliil, assignors to Robertshaw Controls Company, a corporation of Delaware Filed July 31, E62, Ser. No. 213,556 9 Claims. ((Il. 2.29-3.94)

The present invention relates to covers for thermostatic devices and more particularly to decorative covers for the body of a water heater thermostat or the like.

Water thermostats to which the present novel covers are applied may consist of either non-regulator or regulator type thermostats. The regulator thermostats have a greater thickness than the non-regulator thermostats due to the addition of regulator components on the front of the control body. Accordingly, an object of this invention is to make cover units of standard shape, wherein at least one unit of the cover may be made of a single standard size and thickness, while only the other unit need be varied in thickness, to thereby suitably cover the thicker control bodies of regulator thermostats due to the additional components on the front of such regulator.

Another object is to provide a two piece cover formed of sections each of a difierent color, to thereby obtain a colorful two-tone efiect.

A further object is to provide a readily assembled snap fit two-piece cover having component sections permitting construction with two simple dies instead of a complex single die.

Still a further object is to provide a protective cover having latching means adapted to latch under the bottom edges 01. the control body and also at the back of the control body, whereby tampering with the gas cock dial concealed beneath the cover is eliminated.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of elements hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims, it being understood that it is not intended to limit the same to the details of the const uction except as hereinafter claimed.

In the drawings like parts throughout the several views are given like numerals and are thus identified in the following detailed description wherein:

FiGURE 1 is a perspective View illustrating the present novel cover applied to a relatively thin thermostat of the non-regulator type;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the assembled cover removed from the control;

PiGURE 3 is a perspective view of one of the components or sections of the cover;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the front component or section of the cover;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a third form of the invention showing a metal panel insert for the front face of the front panel of the cover assembly;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged cross section view taken on line 1i3lil of FIGURE 5; and

FIGURE 7 is a front elevation view of an attaching tab and of the front panel edge of the front cover section of FIGURE 5.

Referring to the drawings and first With reference to FIGURES 1 and 2, there is shown a non-regulator type water heater thermostat A with an adjustment dial B and a control inlet boss C. Formed to be applied neatly as a cover for the thermostat A is an assembled unit D, comprised of a main basic section 10 and a front section 11 adapted to snap fit in nested relation in the front part of the section 19.

The section 19 is of a basic size and shape and is preferably an inverted U-shape having a top wall 12, and

3,151,759 Patented Get. 6, 1964 ice right and left side walls 13 and 14, respectively. The section It at the front and rear is open. The side Wall 13 of the section 1% is formed with a notch opening or is cut out to form a reduced surface 15 to permit assembly over the control inlet boss C of the thermostat A.

The inverted U-shaped section it is arranged with internal connecting means adapted to coactively connect with externally arranged cooperative connecting means on the front panel section 11. For example, as shown in FIGURE 3, the under surface of the top wall 12 of section 10 is provided with reinforcing ribs 17 and 18 extending from back to front of the section it These ribs at their upper front ends are formed with slots 29 and 21, which slots are engaged by a lip 22 extending from the top of the front section 11.

The front section 11 of the cover D is made with stepped upper and lower front panels 24 and 25. The lower panel 25 is formed with a partial circular opening 26 for permitting the protrusion of the temperature dial B of the thermostat A and at the center top portion of the opening on the lower panel 25 is a raised index mark 27 to provide an indicator pointer for positioning the dial B.

As hereinbefore stated the sections 16 and 11 are assernbled by latching the same together in partial nested relation. The respective latch means are coactively positioned for such assembly.

Now referring to the latch means formed in the basic inverted U-shaped section ll), the side walls 13 and 14 are formed with oppositely positioned inwardly directed lugs or tabs 25 and 2? secured to each rear edge of said walls, see FEGURE 3. These lugs are of flexible material, since the entire cover is preferably made of plastic snap behind the rear edges of each side of the thermostat A, while ribs 3i) and 31 adjacent the respective interior bottom surfaces of the walls 13 and 14 snap fit under the bottom edges of the thermostat A. Thus, when the front section 11 is snap-nested into the front opening of section ill the assembled cover D is held in permanent and tamper-proof position on thermostat A.

Each inner surface of the side walls of section It adjacent the front top edge thereof and adjacent the front bottom edge thereof have slot cut-out projections or latches, which serve as stops 334% and 35-36 for the sides of the front panel section 11. These stops facilitate assembly and prevent excessive spreading of the combined cover assemblies.

Also on the side walls of the section it in narrow surface 15 and in opposite side wall 14- thereof are recessed notches 38 and 39. These notches coact to engage the exterior latch ribs 4% and 41, see FIGURE 4, extending from the respective side walls 4-2 and 43 of the front cover section 11 to thereby hold the sections 13 and 11 together when assembled.

When assembling the stepped front cover panel section 11 with the section lfi the side walls 42 and 43 of the panel section it nest within the walls of section it? and as above stated top panel lip 22 extends mto the respective notches 2b and 21 of ribs 17 and 18, and upper and lower edges 44 and 45, respectively, at the top of the section 11 engage stops 33-34 and 354%, while ribs as and il snap into the recesses 38 and 39, whereby the cover D is assembled over the entire front and sides of the control A.

A regulator type instrument may be thicker from front to back due to the additional regulator controls, not shown, which are concealed under the cover assembly l).

lowever, since the unconcealed structure is identical to the first form illustrated in FIGURES 1 through 4, it is believed sur'licient to explain that the section 11 is made relatively thicker to allow for the depth of a relatively thicker regulator type of thermostat.

In FIGURES 5, 6 and 7 there is shown a third form of this device. In this form the lower front cover panel 25 is slightly countersunk from the framelike edges 45 thereof, see FIGURE 6. The inner lower base portions of the edges 45 of the lower cover panel 25 is joined to the peripheral face of the panel 25 by a thin wall 46 adapted to be pierced or broken through by metal tabs 47 carried by a decorative metal plate 43, see FIGURES 5, 6 and 7.

This novel arrangement provides for insertion of a decorative front panel insert within the framelike edges 45 without the use of adhesives or the like, since the tabs 47 break through the thin wall areas 46 to hold the insert plate 48 in place.

. Many different patterns and color arrangements may be readily provided in this manner.

Also, as is now readily observed from the foregoing description, there is provided a novel two piece cover assembly arrangement for either non-regulator or regulator type thermostats, the sections of which cover require only simple inexpensive die members to make the same and wherein multi-tone color schemes and special front panel inserts provide for many useful color and pattern combinations.

Without further description it is believed that the advantages of the present invention over the prior art is apparent and while only three embodiments of the same are illustrated, it is to'be expressly understood that the same is not limited thereto as various changes may be made in the combination and arrangement of the parts illustrated, as will now likely appear to others and those skilled in the art. For a definition of the scope or limits of the invention, reference should be had to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A cover for water thermostats or the like comprising nested first and second sections, said first section being open at the front, rear and bottom and having top and spaced side walls, and said second section being open at the rear and bottom and having a front cover panel with rearwardly extending spaced side walls and a top wall, said side walls and top wall of said cover panel being so shaped and so proportioned as to nest within the front part of said first section, and coacting latch means carried by each of said sections to latch the same together in assembled relation.

2. A cover for water thermostats or the like as defined in claim 1, wherein the under surface of the top of said first section is provided with spaced ribs extending from front to back thereof, said ribs being notched at the front end, and wherein said top of the second section is provided with a lip engageable in said notches when the said sections are nested together.

3. A cover for Water thermostats or the like as defined in claim 1, wherein the under surface of the top or" said first section is provided with spaced ribs extending from front to back thereof, said ribs being notched at the front end, and wherein said top of the second section is provided with a lip engageable in said notches when the said sections are nested together, said side walls of said first section having stop means on the top and bottom front interior surfaces thereof and said second section having projecting edges engageable with said stop means.

4. A cover for water thermostats or the like comprising nested first and second sections, said first section being open at the front, rear and bottom and having top and spaced side Walls, and said second section being open at the rear and bottom and having a front cover panel with rearwardly extending spaced side walls and a top wall, said side walls and top wall of said cover panel being so shaped and so proportioned as to nest within the front part of said first section, and coacting latch means carried by each of said sections to latch the same together in assembled relation, said first section being provided with opposed spaced vertical latching ribs projecting inwardly from each side wall thereof, to thereby snap behind a control body over which said cover is positioned, and said first section also having opposed spaced horizontal ribs projecting inwardly from each side wall thereof, to thereby snap under the bottom portion of a control body over which the assembled cover is positioned.

5. A cover for water thermostats or the like comprising nested first and second sections, said first section being open at the front, rear and bottom and having top and spaced side walls, and said second section being open at the rear and bottom and having a front cover panel with rearwardly extending spaced side walls and a top wall, said side walls and top wall of said cover panel being so shaped and so proportioned as to nest within the front part of said first section, and coacting latch means carried by each of said sections to latch the same together in assembled relation, said first and second sections being formed of plastic.

6. A cover for water thermostats or the like comprising nested first and second sections, said first section being open at the front, rear and bottom and having top and spaced side walls, and said second section being open at j the rear and bottom and having a front cover panel with rearwardly extending spaced side walls and a top wall, said side walls and top wall of said cover panel being so shaped and so proportioned as to nest within the front part of said first section, and coacting securing means carried by each of said sections to latch the same together in assembled relation, said respective sections being each formed of a different color.

7. A cover for water thermostats or the like comprising nested first and second sections, said first section being open at the front, rear and bottom and having top and spaced side walls, and said second section being open at the rear and bottom and having a front cover panel With rearwardiy extending spaced side walls and a top wall, said side walls and top wall of said cover panel being so shaped and so proportioned as to nest within the front part of said first section, and coacting latch means carried by each of said sections to latch the same together in assembled relation, said second section being formed with upper and lower stepped panels.

8. A cover for water thermostats or the like comprising nested first and second sections, said first section being open at the front, rear and bottom and having top and spaced side walls, and said second section being open at the rear and bottom and having a front cover panel with rearwardly extending spaced side walls and a top Wall, said side walls and top Wall of said cover panel being so shaped and so proportioned as to nest within the front part of said first section, and coacting latch means carried by each of said sections to latch the same together in assembled relation, said second section being formed with upper and lower stepped panels, said lower panel of said second cover section having a surrounding framelike structure, a metal insert panel, and securing means to mount said lower panel in said framelike structure.

9. The cover for Water thermostats or the like, as defined in claim 8, wherein the said base of said framelike structure adjacent the lower panel edges is connected to said panel edges by a thin wall, and said metal insert securing means comprises tabs positioned to pierce said thin wall, to thereby secure said metal insert in said framelike structure over said lower panel of the second cover section.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,144,523 Brown Jan. 17, 1939 2,986,299 Caparone et al. May 30, 1961 3,007,602 Frank Nov. 7, 1961 3,058,612 Nagy Oct. 16, 1962 

1. A COVER FOR WATER THERMOSTATS OR THE LIKE COMPRISING NESTED FIRST AND SECOND SECTIONS, SAID FIRST SECTION BEING OPEN AT THE FRONT, REAR AND BOTTOM AND HAVING TOP AND SPACED SIDE WALLS, AND SAID SECOND SECTION BEING OPEN AT THE REAR AND BOTTOM AND HAVING A FRONT COVER PANEL WITH REARWARDLY EXTENDING SPACED SIDE WALLS AND A TOP WALL, SAID SIDE WALLS AND TOP WALL OF SAID COVER PANEL BEING SO SHAPED AND SO PROPORTIONED AS TO NEST WITHIN THE FRONT PART OF SAID FIRST SECTION, AND COACTING LATCH MEANS CARRIED BY EACH OF SAID SECTIONS TO LATCH THE SAME TOGETHER IN ASSEMBLED RELATION. 